Minnow bucket



l. HARRISON MINNOW BUCKET June 27, 195o Filed Feb. 1o, 194s E: Ivan Harrison monoooo mnoooooo nooooooo 1N VEN TOR.

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Patented June 27, L1950 s r UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MINNOW BUoKE'r lIvan arrison, Atokaykla.. pbueti'eaFii- 1o, 1948, serial No. 7,421

(C1. ie-5e) 2 Claims. 1

The present' invention relates to' certain new and useful improvements in what is2 believed to b novel minnow bucket, a type which is eigpissl'y adapted to be used in preserving live,` minnows', and the like, while being transported from the' heine or elsewhere te e relativen distant fishing' ground. 4

' Stated with greater particularity, the invention has to do with a simpl and practical bucket which is poiridedy with aerating means, whereby to keep the minnows, or other bjait, alive during the stated transportation. In' reducing to practice agpreferred embodiment of the invention I provide a so-called minnow bucket having facilities and provisions whereby a partial vacuum is created in the bucket', suction for the purposes being obi'lai-'ed by way of a hose `which may be' con# viiiently' connected with an existing type inanifold connection for windshield wipers such as is used in present day automobiles and equivalent fnotor Vehicles. Y Y v Another object of the invention is to provideva simple' and expedient aerating tube which conjnected to and carried by the cover of the bucket and which has an adjustable inlet for feeding atmospheric air into the bucket, whereby to conveniently aerate the water in said bucket.

Another featured .advantage characterizing the improved bucket has to do with the adoption rand use of a rubber or equivalent flexible diaphragm which is so situated and clamped in the bucket that it allows the necessary suction to be created in the bucket, permits the entrance of vitalizing air and has the principal function that it automatically closes off the inlet of the suction hose adapter in case the bucket is capsized, whereby to prevent water in said bucket from entering the motor by Way of said hose.

Other objects and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying illustrative drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a fragmentary perspective view showing a portion of an automobile, illustrating the minnow bucket in readiness for use, and showing, in a general way, how it may be hooked up with the aforementioned windshield manifold connection;

Figure 2 is a sectional view through the bucket, the section being on the line 2 2 of Figure 3;

Figure 3 is a perspective view, on a smaller scale;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional View of the air intake end of the aerating tube.

Reference is had first to Figure 2 wherein it 55 will be seen that the bucket is' denoted by the numeral' 5. This is of :any suitable capacity and is adapted to contain (not shown) the waterland live bait or minnows, as the case may be. The mouth portion is provided `with a rolled beadfel to raccommodate the skirt or lip 'I of the 'concave` v convex cover 8. The aerating tube 9 is soldered or otherwise connected centrally to the 'cover at I0 and the depending portion thereof depends into a perforated `or reticulat'ed container tted in the bucket. The upper end of the tube pro-V jects above the crown of the cover where it is screwthreaded, as at I2. This accommodates the screw cap'. I3. The cap is provided with anair let port I4. This permits: the cap to be adjusted to' regulate' theuam'ount of atmospheric air which is sucked intoI the bucket when the partial vacuum is created within the confines of said bucket; The entire aerating device is denoted, as a unit, bythe numeral I5'.

The numeral I 6 designates an adaptor which is in the form of al small elbow @and one branch- I1 is fastened tothe cover and protrudes into the suctiony spiace of the bucket. The other branch .I8 is adapted to accommodate a valve equipped hose I9 which is connectable with the aforementioned manifold connection means 2U, that is the means which in turn is connected with the usual windshield wipers.

The minnow container I I .as before stated is in the form of a suitable cage `and this is provided with a detachable lid I9 held partly in place by a detent 20 acting in conjunction with :a suitable keeper gate 2 I. The lid is centrally apertured to permit convenient passage of the aerating tube 9,1as is obvious.

The numeral 22 designates a circular sheet of rubber which functions as a diaphragm and this is centrally apertured as at 23 to allow the tube 9 to pass therethrough. Except for the center aperture, the diaphragm is otherwise imperforate. The outer marginal edge portion of the diaphragm, as at 24 is clamped uidtight between the lip flange 'I and bead 6. As previously stated this diaphragm is in effect a check valve and should the bucket be capsized, the suction at the intake end I1 of the elbow IG will suck the diaphragm in such a way that it will then cover the inlet and serve as a safety closing valve. More particularly, we will assume that the bucket is substantially full of water and that the weight or load of the water is then thrown against and bulges the diaphragm to the extent that it convexes it and forces it into the active suction range of said elbow I6, thus to provide the desired check valve eiect. The bucket is hooked up for use as shown in Figure 1 of the drawing and when the motor is running the hose means I9 in conjunction with the adapter I6 will create a partial vacuum With-f in the connes of the bucket. The vacuum will in turn produce the necessary suction to draw air through the 'tube Q kby way of theinlvet port I4. Thus the airenteri'ng thewaterwill bubble through the water and aerate same'sufiiciently to keep the minnows and live bait alive for considerable llength of time.

A careful consideration of the foregoingdrescription in conjunction with the inventionlas illustrated in the drawing Will enableftle1 reader' 4 oposite end projecting above the cover and adapted to accommodate a suction hose.

2. A life sustaining and preserving bait bucket for transporting live minnows and the like comprising an open top Water containing bucket, a reticulated live bait container arranged removably in said bucket, the open upper end portion of said bucket having an outstanding emiless bead, a circular rubber diaphragm having itsouter marginal edge seated on' and-rolled down over said bead, said diaphragm being" stretched Y across the open top of the bucket and having a;

to obtain a clear understandingzand impression of the alleged features of merit and novelty sui-Ii-` cient to clarify the construction of the inventioni? as hereinafter claimed.

. Minor changes in shape, size, materials and re-` arrangement of parts may be resorted to in actual practice so long asno departure is made from the invention as claimed.`

Having described the invention,what is as new is:

1. A life sustaining' and preserving bait bucket for transporting live minnows and the llike comprising a water containing bucket,.said bucket being open at its top, a closing cover fittedv removably over said open top, a, diaphragm having its outer marginal edge portions securely clamped and sealed between the bucket and coacting mar-` ginal lip portion of the cover, said diaphragm having a central opening but being otherwise imperforate, an atmospheric air delivering and Water aerating. tube connected to said cover and depending through the opening in the diaphragm and into said bucket, the upper end of said tube projecting above said cover and having an ad` justable air inlet including an adjustable screw cap with an air port provided in the cap, andl an elbow attached to said cover and having one end incommunication with the Abucket by way of a claimed central opening in said diaphragm and. having its central opening but being otherwise imperforate, acover having a marginal lip, said lip capping over said bead and serving to clamp the marginal edge portion of the diaphragm between the bead and lip, an elbow mounted in said cover and hav* ing one end situated in close proximity to but normally spaced from said diaphragm, having the opposite end projecting beyond the cover and adapted to accommodate the suction hose, .an aerating tube connected centrally to saidcover and having an inner end portion extending down through the aperture in'isaid diaphragm and into said container, the rupper, end of said aerating tubey projecting above said cover and having port means to introduce atmospheric air, under the influence' of the suction created within the -covered bucket and container. 

